Number of applications hits all-time high

ON THE RISE Over 9,000 students applied to Bowdoin for the class of 2022, an all-time high. Admissions decisions will be released in the spring.

The College received 9,047 applications for the class of 2022, up from 7,251 from last year. It was an increase of roughly 25 percent and the highest raw number since admissions data became available in 1989. The applications came from students at 4,383 different high schools, compared to 3,548 total high schools last year.

“Being up 25 percent is pretty significant and really exciting, and we’re working really hard, but it’s been really fun,” said Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid Whitney Soule. “It’s more students who are finding Bowdoin, who are interested in being here.”

The Office of Admissions said last November that the College had received 743 applications for early decision I, which had a deadline of November 15. Applications were due on January 1 for early decision II and regular decision. In recent years, the College has enrolled between 41 and 43 percent of its entering class through the two early decision phases, which represent binding contracts, meaning that accepted students are expected to enroll and withdraw their applications from other institutions.

Bowdoin was not the only NESCAC school to witness an uptick in applicants this year. Middlebury received 9,230 applications compared to 8,109 the previous year.

The College set a record low in terms of admissions rate last year when it accepted just 13.6 percent of total applicants. Early decision II results will be released in the middle of February, while regular decision results will come out in late March or early April.

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Ladd House, one of the eight College Houses on campus, will be senior-only housing next year if enough rising seniors apply next week. The decision to convert the House, traditionally occupied by sophomores, into senior housing was proposed by a group of juniors, and occurred amid numerous conversations about how to make College housing more appealing to upperclassmen.

At its first meeting of the semester on Wednesday, Bowdoin Student Government (BSG) discussed revising its constitution and improving student counseling resources.
BSG hopes to pass a new constitution before spring break, which would require one third of the student body to vote on the constitution and two thirds of those votes to be in favor.

On Saturday, the New York Times reported that Representative Patrick Meehan ’78 P’17 (R-Pa.) used thousands of dollars of taxpayer money to settle a personal sexual misconduct complaint made by a former aide. Last night Meehan announced that he would not be running for reelection.

Twelve students will participate in a trial intergroup dialogue (IGD) curriculum on socioeconomic class beginning this February. Kate Stern and Leana Amaez, associate deans of students for diversity and inclusion and co-directors of the Center for Sexuality, Women & Gender will facilitate discussion with students from various class backgrounds.

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